South Africa’s last International assignment was a full home series against Sri Lanka whom they will face in their first of the two warm-up matches prior to the World Cup. The Faf du Plessis-led side will probably be the most benefitted team due to these practice matches. Their leading pacers Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada will take the field for the first time since suffering injuries during the IPL concluded this month.

The Proteas is also aiming to confirm their batting order with Hashim Amla struggling to find form while Aiden Markram scored runs at the same time everywhere he played. On the other hand, Sri Lanka has got a change in captaincy with Dimuth Karunaratne leading them at the World event. They are coming from a comfortable victory over Scotland in the 2-match ODI series but have to work over the team composition.

Match Details:

The 2nd warmup game of the ICC World Cup 2019 will be played between Sri Lanka and South Africa at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.

The match starts at 10:30 AM local time (9:30 AM GMT) (3:00 PM IST).

The game will be live on Star Sports 2 and Star Sports 2 HD. Live streaming available on Hotstar.

Pitch Condition/Report:

Just like any other venue in England, the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff also has a lot of runs in it. The short straight boundaries add to the misery of the bowlers. As Cardiff is an open ground, the breeze blowing around could make a difference in shot making and line to be preferred by the pacers.

Team News:

(Will be added when there is an update.)

Power Picks:

Rassie van der Dussen has all the requirements for being a successful limited-overs batsman. The 30-year-old made an impressive start to his ODI career scoring 353 runs in eight innings with help of four fifties at an average of 88.25. Rassie is coming on the back of some good knocks in the CSA T20 Challenge. He scored 231 runs in his previous four innings during that tournament and has been dismissed only once.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Rassie van der Dussen is a perfect option as he is expected to get a chance to bat. Aiden Markram will be an ideal choice for captain or vice-captain given his recent form. Kusal Mendis and Isuru Udana have performed well recently in this format.

Expert Advice:

The suggested teams are made considering Quinton de Kock might not get to bat as South Africa need to finalize their 2nd opener. In fact, De Kock and Faf du Plessis have good records against Sri Lanka. With both of them being in form, the management might keep them waited to allow others.

Probable Winners:

South Africa is expected to clinch this fixture against Sri Lanka by a fair margin.

*Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.